Oak Creek, Wis. Zund America, Inc., announces the recent appointment of Manuel Merkt as President of Zünd’s Milwaukee-based North American operations. As a German native, Manuel Merkt began his career in industrial engineering with an apprenticeship program through Hermle AG, a manufacturer of high-end machine tools. After acquiring degrees in engineering from both the University of Applied Science in Constance, Germany, and from Coventry University in the UK, Manuel moved to Wisconsin in 2010 to support the Hermle USA team in various sales and business management functions and ultimately took on a leadership role as President and COO in 2017.

In his 11 years with Hermle USA, Manuel developed exceptional leadership skills which are reflected in the company’s steady growth. His intimate knowledge of both European and North American culture and business practices makes him an ideal candidate for stepping into the leadership position at Zund America. He understands a laser-sharp focus on customer needs is essential to Zünd’s continued success in the competitive markets on this side of the Atlantic. At the same time, he intends to continue building on the company’s remarkable growth with smart recruiting practices and ongoing workforce development. Ultimately, Manuel’s goal is to continue moving Zund America forward with long-term business development strategies, marketing initiatives, and best practices in sales and support services consistent with those Zünd pursues globally. Taking full advantage of Zund America’s state-of-the-art HQ in Wisconsin, Manuel will push to further improve the Zünd customer experience in sales, training, and support.